Pakistan blast that killed 10 probably a gas leak: Minister

Lahore, Feb 24 (IANS) The blast that killed 10 persons at a shopping centre in Lahore on Thursday was most probably an accident caused by a “gas leak” and not a bomb, as initially believed, Pakistan officials said on Friday.

Panic gripped the cultural city of Pakistan on Thursday after the blast in an upscale market also left 32 persons wounded.

Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah told media here: “Yesterday’s (Thursday’s) explosion was an accident. It was not caused by explosives or a result of terrorism.”

“The presence of gas cylinders and leakage has been confirmed on the site,” he said. “We got the forensic report this morning and the results and conclusions are that there was no indication of explosives or related materials.”

Sanaullah added that sections of the media did not verify the facts and ran reports with misleading claims that the blast was a terror incident. This, he said, created panic in the city.

Citing the report of the forensic science laboratory, the minister said it confirmed gas leakage at the site of the blast. He said a final conclusion of the findings will be shared with the people.

The blast followed a suicide attack in the provincial capital, on February 13, which claimed the lives of at least 13 people — among them two senior police officials.